The subject matter disclosed herein relates to turbine engines. More particularly, the subject matter relates to servicing a cap assembly of a turbine engine.
In gas turbine engines, a combustor converts chemical energy of a fuel or an air-fuel mixture into thermal energy. The thermal energy is conveyed by a fluid, often air from a compressor, to a turbine where the thermal energy is converted to mechanical energy. These fluids flow downstream to one or more turbines that extract energy therefrom to produce the mechanical energy output as well as power to drive the compressor. Over time, turbine parts may experience wear and degradation due to extreme conditions caused by flow of heated fluid within the turbine engine.
For example, combustion dynamics and combustion temperatures in selected locations, such as the combustor and turbine nozzle assemblies, may lead to thermal stress and wear of parts in the assemblies. In some cases, repairing or replacing a single part of the assembly can lead to replacement of an entire assembly. Replacing an entire assembly due to a defect in a single part within the assembly is a costly and time consuming service process.